Battlefield 6 dev ponders a "happy to wait" toggle for custom search frustration

The Battlefield 6 custom search tool is supposed to be its shortcut around having to delve into the Portal server list. It's a quick way to select exactly which maps and modes you want to play and matchmake into those. The problem is that this doesn't always work. Many players using the feature are finding themselves dropped into games that aren't the one they asked for, as the BF6 matchmaking decides you've been waiting too long for some action. But what if there was an option to bypass this and commit to your choice?

The current issue of finding yourself in a match you didn't want "is by design in some ways," Battlefield 6 global community manager Kevin Johnson writes in response to one complaint on X about the custom search feature. While it will prioritise the Battlefield 6 maps you've asked for among the servers in your region, "it will then try to expand the scope of its search and work down its list to find the next available match with other alternatives. It does this to ensure you're playing more quickly rather than waiting on a long timer."

Yet no matter how highly BF6 ranks among the best multiplayer games, being consistently thrown into maps you don't enjoy is going to seriously stunt your love for the shooter. The thread continues between two Battlefield YouTubers, 'Westie' and 'Squid-G.' Westie says they are given Mirak Valley every time they try to matchmake for Conquest on Operation Firestorm, while Squid-G adds, "I searched for Manhattan Bridge and got Cairo. What's the point if it doesn't do what you asked for?"

DICE producer Alexia Christofi then comes in to pose a question: "If there was a toggle for 'happy to wait to get what I want,' would you use it?" Both reply that they "absolutely" would, and I'm also in agreement - if I'm taking the time to pick out a certain map via custom search, then I'm prepared to wait a while longer to get that particular one.

"It's something we've definitely discussed internally," Christofi responds. "It's a tough balance between finding people a game without waiting too long and getting them exactly what they want, but if we could offer players the choice I'd be happy." She adds elsewhere that the team is planning to include a way for custom search settings to persist between uses, so if you're committed to a particular favorite game type you don't have to tick them every time.

It'd be great to have the option, but it does once again raise the question of whether a more traditional solution would fix these issues. "Why can we not have a server browser then?" Westie asks. While you're currently able to create or join custom servers through Portal, these are handled separately from the general matchmaking, meaning you can't simply create a match and have it be automatically filled by those searching via the quick play option.

Responding to these queries, lead producer David Sirland says the team is "considering it [Portal] a starting point for persistent servers and [a] more controlled environment." Christofi continues, "We have a host of portal/server browser/community improvements we want to do planned, we just need to find the time to do them amongst everything else we want to do. But I am definitely watching and listening."

Whatever your preferred way to play is, we've rounded up the best Battlefield 6 weapons to make sure you come out on top, along with a whole host of other great Battlefield 6 guides to get you on the ground running.

Have you been using the custom search, or the Portal browser? Come by the PCGamesN community Discord and tell us what you think of BF6's matchmaking tools so far.